A few jokers in the pack see Wick home

Quote from Batman (1989)

The Joker: I've recently had a tragedy in my life. Alicia... [lays the mask that Alicia wore on the table] ...threw herself out of the window.

Vicki Vale: Oh, my God.

The Joker: But, you can't make an omelette without breaking some eggs. [breaks the mask and starts giggling]

HWRCC SUNDAY XI - 204 for 9 off 40 overs.

Maloj - 64+, Junaid 25 not out, extras - 50!

defeated Old Spenolians by 80 runs.

Vaider - 4/30 off 8 overs, Jimmy C - 3/9 off 8, Clarky - 2/9 (revelation)

"You can't make an omelette without breaking some eggs"

Such a wonderful quote from arguably the best Batman movie of all time. Sure, the hype recently may suggest that Ledger and co have produced a more stunning and eery display than Tim Burton's first work, however you can't beat the original. FACT. And as I watched the movie for the first time in almost 20 years on Saturday night, i can tell you that i felt just as scared as I had all those years ago. The joker still frightens the bejesus out of me.

And it was with this sense of fright that i arrived at the Wick on sunday to watch Jimmy C's boys take on Old Spenolians on a lovely late summer's afternoon. In fact, it's fair to say that there were a few jokers in the Wick's pack of cards for this match: A worse for wear Matty D (still struggling from a big one on saturday night), a gloveless Clarkey and Harry "H" Copeland, and a giggling Maloj were all put together in a ramshackle outfit to play cricket at the highest of all levels (that's how i'm seeing it). The question on everyone's lips at the ground (read DBW) was just how many eggs (players) would need to be cracked (play badly) in order to make that omelette (i.e. a decent score, etc).

Having won the toss, Skipper Jimmy C elected to bat on a beautiful Wick strip that had been freshly prepared by the club's groundsman, Veri Farkin-Funni. Even the lines on the track had been freshly painted, courtesy of the work of curator Bee Grade Actar.

Game on.

With limited availability due to a music festival in Reading (understandable given that Garry Glitter was headlining), Jimmy C sent out Matty D and Clarkey to kick the innings off. Matty D, who looked in no fit shape to be out of bed let alone onto a cricket pitch, played some beautiful shots that never quite made it to the boundary. Clarkey, on the other hand, eager to continue his recent spell of good batting by making a sizable knock, started off with confidence. It was going to be an interesting combination.

But sadly not interesting enough.

Clarkey was out for just 5 when he failed to connect properly with a pull shot, looping the ball to square leg for a simple, if only one-handed, catch. Harry Copeland and Sam Kemp, newly promoted up the order to try and refresh the innings, couldn't do any better with the bat. Despite being given the golden opportunity to get runnnnnnsss, they both gave their wickets away very cheaply (both caught) and were soon back in the hutch.

Matty D soon left the crease after being bowled all ends up, and Jimmy C and Tommy Robinson were also out after playing some ordinary shots. The eggs appeared to be breaking all over the show and nothing like an omelette was in the offing.

That is until Maloj "The Joker" joined the game. Maloj is a mystery to anyone who has met him. It is even alleged that, in a recent conversation with Jimmy C and Tun Up, he described Derrick Soppitt as "his mentor". While this might seem alarming to some, I can say that whatever Derrick is telling him is working after his performance here with the bat.

Right from the off, Maloj swung the bat around as only he can. The Maloj mentality is that there are no balls worth leaving and everything is worth trying to hit as hard as you can. With incredible whip generated from the bat, Maloj scored a cracking 65 runs to turn the match back in favour of the home side. To point out how good his batting was, Maloj scored about 20 of these runs from wide deliveries that were rolling along the ground. He even managed to hit one boundary from a ball that found itself on the next batting strip. Maloj was clearly the Wick's joker in the pack.

Aided by Junaid Iqbal, who batted beautifully and with maturity by making 25 not out, Maloj took the Wick to 204 at the close of the innings, a previously unthinkable total. In the interest of fairness, it must be pointed out that this 204 consisted of over 50 extras. However the runs were on the board.

Teas - 8/10. Perfect variation from DBW. It did a bit, yet with none of the serious after shocks which have been known to bring certain players to carry out their "bowl work" sooner than usual.

Heading out to bowl, the Wick got off to a confident start. Tommy Robinson and Graham "the teacher" Smith bowled beautifully to keep the runs down. Graham managed to pick himself up a wicket. Followed shortly after by a cameo from Maloj and Linter, who's bowling is getting back to top form, the Wick were still on track for victory but just needed some quick wickets.

The match turned when Vaider and Jimmy C were brought into the attack. Vaider, taking 4/30 off 8 overs with the turkish we all know and love, and Jimmy C taking 3/9 off 8 put the match right out of reach from Old Spens and ended the joking around. Well almost.....

...Having agreed to play Clarkey on the basis that he bowl a few overs, the Wick's wicket keeper stepped up (AJ style?) to roll the arm over and intimidate the batsmen. Bowling straight with movement and fitness, Clarkey managed to pick up the final two wickets to end the match. The occasion was perhaps not lost on the wicket keeper, who appeared to rellish taking wickets with - dare I say - a "joker-esque" cackle after each batsman fell. Job done.

Game over.

Having spoken briefly to Jimmy C after the match, he wanted me to mention the work of Alison in the scorebox who put in another magnificent display with the pen. An absolute delight as per usual.

Believe

Wickman Junior